Copper Mountain in Colorado is the most popular overall, although as the company sends a limited number of clients there, the verdict is not based on the number of passengers. The company believes Val di Fassa would probably triumph if the number of forms returned was factored.
On the Copper Mountain measure however, Sölden in Austria was the second most highly regarded ski area and the most popular in Europe for TUI ski clients, followed by Lech, also in Austria, Risoul in France and in fifth placed fellow French ski area, St. Jean D'Arves.
The results were not generated in order to rank resorts, but were the result of clients completing TUI's customer survey questionnaire, the primary aim of which is for the company to get feedback on all aspects of their trip – accommodation, journey, booking process, customer service pre-departure and in-resort and childcare facilities (where appropriate). The actual questionnaires are processed and validated by an independent survey company, and TUI get the results back usually within seven days which enables the company to make changes to their programme as necessary.
To date the company has received back 39,606 customer service questionnaires returned for this winter, although last week's are still delayed through volcano-induced chaos (unlike the company's customers who were brought back by bus at the start of the week).
"We thought that it would be more interesting for recipients of our email to get the pure results which throws up some resorts that do not have such a high profile amongst British skiers." Said a company spokesperson.
If divided into separate operators, each of the TUI Ski brands returned different resort winners with Crystal Finest clients giving the highest praise to Whistler, First Choice Ski clients preferring Montgenevre in France and Thomson Ski customers Hochgurgl in Austria.
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